Combination folding chair.



. u PATBNTED MAY '19, 1903'. J. J. FLANNERY &, M. B. PLUNKBTTQ v`COM]3Il\T'1I() 1\T FOLDING (1l-LIME.

APFLIGMIONv FILED MAR. 13, 1902. no MODEL. a sHBms-SHBBT 1.

A WMM No.- 728,454. PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

J. J. PLANNERY & M. B. PLUNKETT. l

COMBINATION FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLIOATIVON FILED MAR. 13, 1902. )I0 MODEL. Y 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.MT/jes 5155":

f IASI'DNTIID;MAY I9, 1903. J. I. FLNNNBRYO M. B. PLUNKETT.

COMBINATION FOLDING OIIAIR.

` APPLIOATION IILDD MAN. 13, 1902. 4 y No MODEL. s SHEETS-SMDI a.

ZJ W we 46,

- @LA `IVLZT/ESISEE:

UNrTsD STATES 7 'PATENT 1f 'Patented ivray ie, isos. i

OFFICE.-

JOHN J. FLANNERY, VOF EAST CAMBRIDGE, AND MICHAEL B. PLUNKETT,

OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

-ooMBlNAT-ION FOLDING-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. "/28,4' 4,` dated May 19, 19,03.

l Application nea nach 1s.' 1902. serrano. 97,977. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, JOHN Je. FLANNERY, residing at East CambridgeLin thecounty of Middlesex, and MICHAEL B. PLUNKETT, residing at Roxbury, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combination Folding Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a chair having the following features: First,

a back adjustable at dierent angles with the4 seat; second, an adjustable foot-rest; third, means by Whichsaid chair may be used as a spring-rocker; fourth, means by which said chair may be used as a swivel-chair, and, fifth, a construction whereby the different parts of the chair may be disconnected and the chair collapsed andpacked in a small space in order that the same may be stored or shipped with ease.

The object of this invention is, again, to provide a chair which shall be of cheap and strong construction, in which the different changes hereinbefore setforth may be made with speed and ease.

The invention consistsin a chair so constructed that the back may be adjustable at different angles with relation to the seat, that the seat may rock upon the frame, and that said frame may be so constructed as to swivel upon the base of the chair, the whole structure so arranged and constructed as to be readily collapsible.

The invention, again, consists in the improved means by whichv the extent ot' rock# ing motion of the seat maybe adj ustably controlled; and, again, the invention consists in the improved means of attaching a spring between the swivel-frame and seat, so that said spring may be subjected to compression and tension.

The invention, again,V consists in the Vcon-l struction whereby the different parts maybe readily detached from each other and the chair collapsed and lpacked in small space for the' purposespeciied. The invention nally consists in the coinbination and arrangement 'of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of our improved collapsible Aeo'mbination-chair, showing the same in position forY use. Fig.` 2 is a perspective View `of the same collapsed and ready to be stored vor shipped. Fig. 3 -is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 3 of Fig.- 1. Fig.

foot-rest being shown in dotted lines in connection therewith in' its forward position.

Fig. v7 is an enlarged section illustrating the construction and means of attachment of the spring to the, seat and to the swivel-frame, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged Ysection illustrating the connection of the rocking frames tothe swivel-frame, taken 'on line 7 7 of Fig. 4. Y

In the drawings, 10 is a base-plate provided with legs 11 11,-fastened securely thereto bybolts 12, which extend through ears 13, projecting downwardly frornsaid base-plate. A vswivel-plate 14 is connected to the base-plate 10 by a central bolt 15, aballi-bearing 16 being provided to insure the free rotation of the swivelplate 14A upon said base-plate 10. The swivel-plate 14 has provided at each side thereof an Mupwardly-extending ear 17, to which ,rocker-,plates 1S 18 are pivotally at- -tached by bolts 19. The rocker-plateslS are forked to straddle the Aears 17, the bolts 19 beingsquare' in cross-section, as at 20, where they pass through one arm of said-fork, and

cylindrical throughout the remainder of their length,each bolt being provided with a thumbnut 21, by which said bolt isl 'fastened to the rocker-plate 18. The square portion A20 of ythebolt 19 prevents said bolt from rotating when the thumb-nut 21 is screwed thereon in attaching the rocker-plate 18 tothe swivelplate 14. The rocker-plates 1'8 are provided with flanges 22, to which the frame of the chair-seat 23 is fastened by screws 24.

IOO

A back 25 is pivotally connected at 26 to the chair-seat 23. The arms 27 are pivoted at 28 to the back 25 and at 29 to a link frontsupport 30, which in turn is pivoted at 31 to the seat of the chair. Between the seat 23 and the swivel-plate 14, at the rear central portion thereof, is provided a spiral spring 32, the upper end of said spiral spring bearing against a cylindrical plate 33, provided with downwardly-projecting ears 34, said ears being bent inwardly and curved around the wire forming the spring 32, thus fastening said spring to said plate The lower end of the spiral spring 32 rests against an arm 35,4 said arm projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the swivel-plate 14, and being provided with ears 36, which extend upwardly and inwardly to partially encircle the lowermost coil of wire in the spring 32, and thus fasten said wire to said swivel-plate.

In order to limit the extent to which the seat can tip forwardly in its rocking motion, a rod 37 is provided, the upper end of which 'arm 35.

The seat 23 has two vertical guide-pieces 45 extending longitudinally and fast to the under side thereof. The foot-rest 46is provided with pins 47, which extend into slots 48, running lengthwise of the side pieces 49 of the slide-frame 50. The slide-frame 50 is provided with pins 51, extending into slots 52 in the guide-pieces 45. In Figs. 1, 3, and 4 the foot-rest, together with the slide-frame 50, is shown pushed back under the seat 23. In Fig. 5'the foot-rest is shown, together with the slide-frame 50, pulled out from under the seat 23, the same being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 also pulled out from under the seat 23. In pulling the foot-rest out from the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 to that shown in dotted linesin Fig. 4and in fulllines, Fig. 5, the pins 47 of the foot-rest slide forwardly in the slots 48, formed in the slide-frame 50, and the pins 51 in the slide-frame 50 slide forwardly in the slots 52, formed in the guidepieces 45, thus forming a long foot-rest when drawn outwardly, the same shutting up compactly beneath the seat when pushed. thereunder, as shown.

The back 25, arms 27, and front-supporting links 3U are locked in position at any desired angle by an arm 53, pivoted at 54 to said links 30, the lower end of said arms 53 engaging racks 55, fast to the side pieces of the chair-seat 23. Each of the arms 53 is provided with a handle 56, by means of which they may be lifted out of contact with the racks 55 and set at any desired tooth upon said racks.

It will be seen that by the construction hereinbefore described the chair-seat may be rocked upon the pivotal bolts 19. Said chairseat may swivel by rotating the swivel-plate 14 upon the base-plath 10. The chair back and' arms may be adjusted at any angle by changing the location of the arms 53 upon the racks 55, and the foot-rest 46 may be drawn "butwardly, as .shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4,

and in full lines, Fig. 5, or the same may be pushed back beneath the seat of the chair when not in use. Itwill further be seen that by adjusting the thumb-nut 43 the extent to which the chair may be rocked will be limited through tl e rod 37, to which said adjustingnut is fafened. When the chair rocks forward-litho rubber collar 44 forms a cushion. As the chair is rocked it will be seen that it is under the control of the spiral spring 32, said spring being under tension when the chair is rocked forwardly and under compression when the chair is rocked rearwardly, and, finally, by reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the chair may be collapsed and packed in very small space for shipment or for storage.

The chair is collapsed by removing the bolts 12, which secure the legs 11 to the base-plate lO, and by removing the cushions 57 and tipping the back 25 forwardly until the arms 27 and links 30 and back 25 assume substantially a horizontal position. The cushions and legs are then placed upon the back and seat, as shown in Fig. 2. If desired, the swivel-plate 14 may be removed from the rocker-plates 1S by unscrewing the thumbnuts 21 and removing the bolts 19. The central bolt 15, connecting the swivel-plate 14 and base-plate 10, is also removed by unscrewing the thumb-nut upon the lower end thereof. To disconnect the spring 32 from the plate 33 and from the arm 35 upon the swivel-plate 14, said spring is rotated in the proper direction, so that the ends will screw out of connection with the ears 36 upon the arm 35 and ears 34 upon the plate 33, said spring being returned toits position, as shown in Fig. 7, by screwing the same into connection with the ears 34 upon the plate 33 and the ears 36 upon the arm 35.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure, is

1. In a collapsible chair, a base-plate provided with suitable legs, a swivel-frame rotatively attached to the base-plate, said frame being provided with a rearwardly-extending member, a seat pivotally connected to the swivel-frame, a rod pivotally attached to the seat and engaging the member projecting from the swivel-frame, and means to adjust the operative length of the rod.

2. In a collapsible chair, a base-plate having suitable legs, a swivel-frame rotatably IIO attached to the base-plate, said frame being formed with a rearwardly-extending member, a seat centrally pivoted to the swivel-frame,

a rod connecting the seat and said projecting projecting member to engage and secure the spring. j

4. A collapsible chair comprising a baseplate, legs removably fastened thereto, a swivel-frame rotatably attached to said baseplate, a seat pivotally attached to said rotatory swivel-frame, a rod pivotally attached to said seat extending downwardly therefrom and. through said swivel-frame, a stop adjustably fastened to said rod beneath said swivel-frame and adapted to engage said swivel-frame and adj ust to different distances the extent to which said seat can rock upon its pivot, a spiral spring encircling said rod,

one end of said spring bearing against said seat the other end against said swivel-frame,

4and ears fast to said seat and to said swivelframe engaging each end of said spring substantially as described for the purpose specifled.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witv IIGSSBS.

JOHN J. FLANNERY. MICHAEL B. PLUNKETT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. GOODING, ANNIE J. DAILEY. 

